1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fuses and, more particularly, to an outdoor fuse mounting assembly.
2. Background Information
A fuse is a type of overcurrent protection device for installation into a power circuit. A fuse has an element (or a plurality of elements), which is typically a metal wire or conductive strip or other conductor, which will melt, sever, or otherwise open when heated by a predetermined electrical current for a predetermined time. Accordingly, fuses are generally designed to allow the flow of an electrical current up to a certain current-time threshold. Once the current-time threshold is crossed, the element in the fuse opens, thereby protecting the power circuit from the overcurrent condition.
Fuses can be installed in a variety of environments. For example, a fuse can be installed into a power circuit that is located outdoors or, alternatively, the fuse can be installed into a power circuit that is located indoors. A fuse that is installed into an outdoor power circuit is typically mounted onto a mounting assembly which is made from a ceramic material. A ceramic mounting assembly, however, has a number of shortcomings. For instance, an outdoor ceramic mounting assembly is typically exposed to a variety of environmental conditions, such as inclement weather, which can damage (e.g., crack) the ceramic mounting assembly. Moreover, an outdoor ceramic mounting assembly can be damaged during transit to the installation site thereby rendering the outdoor ceramic mounting assembly useless.